SHROUD SERIES, Part 6:
The Resurrection and the Holy
Shroud
continued from Part
5....
by Fr. Hilary Conti, O.S.B.
and
Br. Gregory-David Jones, O.S.B.
“Peter... observed the wrappings
on the ground and saw the piece of cloth which had covered the head not
lying with the wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then
the disciple who had arrived first at the tomb went in. He saw and
believed” (John 20:7-8).
Footnote: 20:6-8 There
was some special feature about the state of the burial wrappings that caused
the beloved disciple to believe. Some suggest that Jesus had passed
through them without their being unrolled (The New American Bible).
St.
John tells us the story of the wrappings to prove that the Resurrection
of Christ was very real, and not as some say, in the minds of the apostles.
Scientists tell us that in such a moment of change of matter, Jesus’ body
may have discharged some energy, as electricity, which imprinted His image
on the Shroud. The Gospel tells us repeatedly of Christ’s body violating
the laws of physics. “On the evening of that first day... even though
the disciples had locked the doors... Jesus came and stood before them...”
(John 20:19). “A week later... Thomas was with them. Despite
the locked doors, Jesus came and stood before them (John 20:26).
St. John tells us these minor details “the doors being locked” to prove
the reality of the resurrection of Christ and of the change in his body.
On the lake the apostles recognized him at a distance. They could
not believe the reality of the presence of Christ. To convince them,
Jesus said “I am hungry” and He ate with them. Thomas put his finger
on the wounds on his hands and on his side to feel Jesus. Mary Magdalene
identified Jesus when He pronounced “Mary” her personal name. The
resurrection body of Christ, while being “immaterial” still maintained
the characteristics of a normal human body.
It may
either be coincidence or providence that the burial cloth of our Lord is
the only physical “picture” that we have of Him. This almost two thousand
year old “picture” of Jesus has profound meaning for us today. On
it we see that He is battered, humiliated and executed. This burial
cloth can be for us a sermon or a last note that Jesus left behind for
us. It reveals something about ourselves and the saving grace which
comes through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Looking at the Shroud, we can see something about ourselves. The
wounds of Christ did not disappear when He rose from the dead. For
Thomas, the wounds were proof that the man, the resurrected man standing
before him was once dead, but is now alive. Our wounds caused by
others or by our own sins do not have to be marks of defeat no matter how
painful they may be. Jesus has taken on our sins, failures and hardships
through those very wounds, scars and bruises that we see all over His body.
No sin is so great that one drop of blood shed by Christ cannot atone for
it. No shame is so great that our Lord was not already humiliated
for. No sadness is so great that our Lord has not already shed tears
for. No person is so sinful that the transforming power of Christ’s
resurrection cannot bring that person to new life here on earth and in
the next. The Lord waits for us with eagerness to come to Him with
our troubles, our burdens and sorrows (Mat. 11:28-30) for He is a compassionate
Lord who feels our pain, knows our sorrows and offers His entire being
for us.
The
Shroud of Turin is no mere spectacle of sensationalism if our faith
is grounded in the story behind it. The Scriptures, the teachings
of the Church and the sacraments are our chief means of nourishing our
faith and receiving grace. The Holy Shroud only enforces the truths
that we already believe. Without faith, the Shroud is nothing but
an antique that does nothing for us and really means nothing to us.
Through faith, we can see in the Shroud the love of our divine Savior and
our hope of being resurrected to be with Him forever.
Prayer
Father, on the Holy Shroud we
see the graphic impression of the wounds and bruises, crown of thorns and
flogging of Christ Your Son. He took on our sins, our failings and
our burdens in obedience to Your will. He did not refuse anything
that you asked Him to do. He was obedient to the point of death.
We offer you all that Jesus suffered for us. Do not look upon us
sinners, but upon the Face of Jesus, your Son. Amen.